News

As of March 1, 2015, the Clark County Bar Association (CCBA) will be located in a NEW location at 717 S. 8th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada, 89101. Our phone, fax, and e-mails will remain the same. Please update your records accordingly.

While we will be open for business today through Friday, February 27, 2015, we will have limited access to communications as the computers and phone/fax lines are transferred to the new location. We expect to be up and running by Monday, March 2, 2015.

I truly appreciate your patience during this time, as well as your continued support of our non-profit member organization.

The United States District Court for the District of Nevada is accepting applications for Lawyer Representatives. Lawyer Representatives provide vital input to the Court on a myriad of issues affecting the operations of the federal courts including, but not limited to: rule changes; development of new programs; design of new court facilities and the expenditure of funds from the non-appropriated account.

To be considered for one of these positions, you must be: 1) admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court of Nevada and actively involved in federal practice; 2) interested in the purpose and framework of the Circuit Conference and willing and able to actively contribute to the creation of the District Conference, and; 3) willing to assist in implementing conference and district court programs with local bar associations. Lawyer Representatives are also expected to attend the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference.

In addition to the above criteria, a goal of the Court in the selection of Lawyer Representatives is to ensure the chosen attorneys represent a cross-section of practitioners in federal court which specialize in civil, criminal, appellate and bankruptcy matters. Lawyer Representatives are elected to serve a three year term.

If you are interested in serving as a Lawyer Representative, please submit a letter of interest detailing your federal experience and reasons you would like to be considered to:

The deadline for expressing interest is Friday, May 29, 2015. A list of finalists will be selected by the Court and submitted to the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Nevada for final selection. Please contact Mr. Wilson at (702) 464-5456 with questions regarding the role of a Lawyer Representative or the selection process.

(1)On or after March 16, 2015, if an attorney wishes to file a “Motion to Re-Open a Closed Case,” that Motion will be forwarded to the Chief Judge for review and ruled upon within 10 judicial days.

(2) On or after March 16, 2015, if an attorney fails to appear for a Pretrial Session without advance notice provided to the Court, all citations scheduled for the particular session will be placed into warrant status, and a $150.00 Warrant Fee will be assessed on each citation. Moreover, the attorney will need to file a “Motion to Reschedule” which will be ruled upon by the Chief Judge within 10 judicial days.

As used in this subsection, “advance notice” means no later than 3:00 PM on the judicial day before the scheduled Pretrial Session.

(3) On or after March 16, 2015, if an attorney fails to appear for a scheduled Walk-In Session or Bulk Session without advance notice to the Court, the following penalties will apply:

First Unexcused Absence on or after March 16, 2015

Documented by the Court.

Second Unexcused Absence on or after March 16, 2015

Documented by the Court.

Third or More Unexcused Absences on or after March 16, 2015

(1) Documented by the Court; and(2) All citations scheduled for the particular session will be placed into warrant status;

and

(3) A $150.00 Warrant Fee will be assessed on each citation.

Moreover, the attorney will need to file a “Motion to Reschedule” which will be ruled upon by the Chief Judge within 10 judicial days.

As used in this subsection, “advance notice” means no later than 3:00 PM on the judicial day before the scheduled Walk-In Session or Bulk Session.

Department 14’s entire civil caseload will be transferred to Department 7 and Department 14 will assume responsibility over Specialty Courts.

200 open civil cases aged 36 months or less will be transferred from Department 26 to Department 7. See AO 15-01, Exhibit 1.

Department 14’s entire criminal caseload will be transferred to Department 22, and Department 22 will replace Department 14 in the Rural Track of the Criminal Case Flow Model. See AO 15-01, Exhibit 2.

All competency cases in Department 7 will be transferred to Department 9, and all new competency cases will be assigned to Department 9.

Department 9 will be removed from the NLYJC1 Track in the Criminal Case Flow Model, and NLVJC1 cases will track to Departments 5, 10 and 21 in equitable proportions. See AO 15-01, Exhibit 2.

AO 15-01 and its exhibits are being made available to you electronically via the link labeled “March 2015 Civil/Criminal Case Reassignments” under “Court News” at http://www.clarkcountycourts.us. Please visit the link to determine whether your case will be affected.

Please review the posted administrative order and the Odyssey electronic case management system for further specifics on the aforementioned transfers and to confirm upcoming hearing dates. In the event you are eligible pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 48.1, you may exercise a peremptory challenge as a result of your case having been reassigned.

The Court greatly appreciates your participation in accommodating this reassignment. Please do not hesitate to contact Assistant Court Administrator Timothy Andrews at 702-671-3312 should you have any questions.”

Las Vegas Justice Court Changes Procedures for Workplace TPO Filings On February 20, 2015, the Las Vegas Justice Court filed an administrative order (AO 15-02) changing the automatic tracking requirement in local rule JCRLV 42(d) and the manner of assignment of temporary protection orders (TPOs) in the workplace The changes listed in the AO 15-02 are listed as effective immediately and to be in effect until any further rule change after the Las Vegas Justice Court’s Rules Committee reviews the applicability of JCRLV 42(d) to all TPOs. Download the administrative order (PDF): LVJC-AO-15-02-Workplace-TPO

The Clark County Law Foundation (CCLF) is accepting nominations for the 2015 Liberty Bell Award. The recipient(s) for the Liberty Bell Award will be awarded at a ceremony during Law Week in May.

The recipient of the award is an individual in the community who upholds the rule of law, contributes to good government within the community, stimulates a sense of civic responsibility, and encourages respect for the law in the courts. The recipient’s contribution should speak to the mission of CCLF, which is: dedication to providing community service programs throughout Southern Nevada that are integrated with law-related education.

Promotes a better understanding of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Encourages greater respect for the law and the courts

Stimulates a deeper sense of individual responsibility so citizens recognize their duties as well as their rights

Contributes to the effective functioning of our governmental institutions

Fosters a better understanding and appreciation of the law

Nominations must include:

First and last name

Address

Phone number

A brief description of this person or organization, how he or she has contributed to our community and how he or she meets the criteria mentioned above. In your description, make sure to include any organizations this person is currently involved in and what his or her contribution has been.

Per a message today from Chief Judge David Barker at the Eighth Judicial District Court, the following calendar and case re-assignments will occur on Monday, March 2, 2015:

Judge Escobar (DC 14) will be moving into Specialty Courts and will coordinate with Judge Bell in that transition.

Judge Bell (DC 7) will be assuming Judge Escobar’s civil docket and take an adjusted percentage of random new cases filed and transfers from Judge Sturman (DC 26) until Judge Bell’s caseload is consistent with other all civil departments.

Judge Johnson (DC 22) will take Judge Escobar’s criminal rural track assignment and keep her existing civil caseload. [Judge Johnson’s calendar will be held as follows:

Tuesdays, Thursdays: Criminal Calendar starts at 9:00 a.m.

Tuesdays, Thursdays: Civil Calendar starts at 10:30 a.m.

Wednesdays: Civil Calendar starts at 8:30 a.m.]

Judge Togliatti will take the criminal competency calendar previously assigned to Judge Bell. She will keep her Track 2 criminal caseload, but her previous 25% of Judge Hoo’s (NLVJC1) criminal cases will be redistributed to the remaining three judges on Tracks 2 and 12 (Walsh, Ellsworth and Adair).

Probate Commissioner Yamashita will move into Phoenix ADR (chambers) and share a courtroom with Judge Sturman Wednesdays and Fridays.

Except for Commissioner Yamashita THERE WILL BE NO PHYSICAL CHAMBER MOVES.

Judge Escobar will stay in 3B chambers and use courtroom 3F.

Judge Bell will stay in 3F chambers and use courtroom 3B.

Judge Johnson will stay in 15D chambers and courtroom.

Judge Togliatti will stay in 10C chambers and courtroom.

These changes will also mean that the court no longer need to split the use of courtroom 3E between Judge Escobar and Judge Kephart for criminal calendars and trials. Judge Kephart (DC 19) can use courtroom 3E full time.

On February 25, 2015, the Clark County Bar Association will host a one-hour seminar during the lunch hour for Nevada attorneys to earn continuing legal education credit. “Drawing on Psychology to Become a Better Negotiator” will provide resources for attorneys to prepare for effective negotiation. Our featured speaker will be Jean R. Sternlight – Saltman Professor, UNLV Boyd School of Law & Director Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution.

All Nevada bar members are invited to attend. Please note that this is a “lunchtime learning” seminar, so please bring your own lunch. We’ll provide refreshments.

On Thursday, February 5, 2015 at Noon the Clark County Bar Association will host an hour-long class of continued legal education for attorneys to learn how to better prepare deponents during trial preparation.

The CLE seminar “Deposition vs. Root Canal: Preparation Techniques to Make Dental Work the Only Painful Experience” will feature presenter Pat Getter, a member of the team defending DuPont against lawsuits filed in the wake of a multibillion-dollar liability product recall.

Getter will provide tips based on the experience of being deposed three times after she left DuPont. Pat authored the book “Deposition vs. Root Canal: Preparation Techniques to Make Dental Work the Only Painful Experience.” Attend this live seminar to receive a complimentary copy of her book!

All members of the bar are invited to attend this “lunchtime learning” event. For more information about this and other upcoming CLE seminars, go to our CLE seminars page…